Early Head Start/Head Start is a federally funded program that prepares America’s most vulnerable children to succeed in school and beyond. Head Start programs deliver services to children and families in core areas of early learning, health, and family well-being while engaging parents as partners every step of the way.

The Child Care Services Bureau (CCSB) administers the Child Care Assistance and the Child Care Regulatory Oversight programs. The child care assistance program helps parents/legal guardians who are working, going to school, in a job training program or searching for employment with child care expenses.

ECECD’s Family Nutrition Bureau administers two USDA Child Nutrition Programs, the Child and the Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).

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The State of New Mexico is home to 23 Native American Tribes, Pueblos, and Nations – each with a unique language, history, and culture. Equity is a core value that drives ECECD’s vision and mission, and ECECD seeks relationships with Tribal governments and Tribal education programs that are respectful, collaborative, and supportive of each community’s unique educational goals.

Students with developmental delays or disabilities deserve access to the high-quality supports and services that they need to succeed in school and in life. ECECD administers two crucial programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), an important federal law that helps ensure that children with disabilities receive appropriate education and support. Parts B and C of IDEA specifically address different aspects of this support system.

New Mexico PreK (NM PreK) is a free program during the school year that delivers high-quality education in both community-based and school-based settings. NM PreK focuses on providing a fun, rewarding, and developmentally appropriate learning environment for children ages three and four.

The New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD), administers Families FIRST, a program designed to empower and support families through every step of their journey. Families FIRST offers a go-to support system during pregnancy, infancy, and throughout the first three years of a child’s life for Medicaid-eligible families in New Mexico.